Broncos Drop Third-Straight

NFL News - November 15th, 2009 - Written by John

Kyle Orton had to leave the game with a high ankle injury, and his Denver Broncos took a collective hit on Sunday. Continuing their recent slide, the Broncos lost their third-straight game and are slowly finding themselves in a fight to remain atop the AFC West.

Ladell Betts was terrific in the place of Clinton Portis, rushing for 114 yards and scored the game-clinching touchdown with just under three minutes remaining to give the Washington Redskins a 27-17 win at FedEx Field. It allowed Washington to score over 17 points for the first time all-season, and give some much needed confidence to an embattled organization routinely bashed on call-in shows and blogospheres. It was also the most points it had scored since Week Two of last year.

Orton was doused in the second quarter, leading 17-14 when he rolled his ankle uncomfortably. That forced back-up Chris Simms to take his first snaps of the year, and few of them were pretty. Simms only completed three passes in the second half, and threw an interception.

Jason Campbell was 17-for-26 for 193 yards and a touchdown for Washington. But the biggest pass of the day came from punter Hunter Smith, who took a fake punt, rolled out right and fire a laser to Mike Sellers for a 35-yard touchdown that stunned fans and Broncos alike.

Shaun Suisham kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter.

But it appeared as if Denver was poised to make it a runaway earlier in the game. Mostly because Brandon Marshall made the first quarter his own chase scene. On the Broncos' first possession, Orton connected with Marshall near midfield and watched his Pro Bowl receiver take it 40 yards to the house to make it 7-0. Washington quickly responded on it's next possession, driving down the field to get to the two, and Campbell lofted a strike to tight end Todd Yoder.

Marshall caught another touchdown with three-and-a-half minutes left in the quarter, this one on a 75-yard play that sent him high-fiving head coach Josh McDaniels on the sideline.

But the Redskins owned the second half, beginning with Smith's terrific pass.

Denver's Knowshon Moreno came close to reaching the 100-yard mark for the first time this year. He had 97 yard on 18 carries, the third time this year he's gotten at least 88 yards.

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